1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to water ski tow ropes, and, more particularly, to a water ski tow rope housing for storing a tow rope when not in use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Water ski tow ropes in contemporary use are usually simply coiled for storage within the boat when not in use. The coiled rope presents a problem in the boat for several reasons, such as getting in the way of the occupants of the boat if the rope is not stored in a locker, getting fouled whether stored in a locker or not, which makes it rather difficult to unwind or uncoil properly without tangles in the rope. Moreover, there are inherent difficulties, generally speaking, in both coiling and uncoiling the rope.
To overcome some of the problems associated with water ski tow ropes, such as those enumerated in the preceding paragraph, several different types of reels have been proposed. However, the reels of the prior art are secured to the tow boat and accordingly present other problems. One of the problems associated with the reel secured to a boat is the evening out of the strain on the rope, or the symmetrical loading of the rope, for towing purposes. This problem, in turn, has been considered, and several suggestions have been proposed. Examples of some of the reel type apparatus, and the solution to the symmetrical loading of a tow rope, are illustrated in various U.S. Patents. Among the U.S. patents which have considered the problems is U.S. Pat. No. 2,998,796. The '796 patent discloses a fixed reel secured to a boat. The tow rope is wound about the reel when the tow rope is not in use. The tow rope actually is in two sections secured together by a snap swivel hook for ease in securing the tow rope to the wheel. That is, the tow rope consists of two independent ropes, one a relatively short length of rope, and one a relatively long length of rope. When the long length of rope is unwound from the reel, it is secured to the short rope to comprise a single tow rope.
Another exemplary patent is U.S. Pat. No. 3,006,309. The '309 patent discloses a reel secured to the stern section of a boat. The reel pivots into and out of use in storage positions, as desired. The reel acts as a frame or harness between the tow rope and the boat when the tow rope is in its use position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,021,088 discloses a tow rope reel which includes a guide for winding the tow rope about the reel for storage purposes. The reel is secured to the boat, but part of the reel pivots to allow the tow rope to be secured to the boat through a bridle arrangement for towing purposes. The bridle arrangement is one solution to the problem of utilizing a reel for a tow rope and yet having a symmetrical pull on the tow rope to the boat for towing a water skier.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,041,996 discloses a tow rope system using a reel secured to the boat and another type of harness or bridle system for transferring the actual pulling force on the rope to the boat. The '996 patent provides one illustration, and the '088 patent provides another illustration of attempts to solve the symmetrical load or force problem discussed above, as well as the reel and storage problem for a tow rope.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,113,547 discloses a fixed reel system secured to a boat which utilizes an arm through which the tow rope extends between the boat and the reel. The tow rope is secured directly to the boat, and it extends through an arm secured to the reel. The arm is in direct line with the point of securement of the tow rope to the boat when the tow rope is in use. When it is desired to wind the tow rope about the reel, the arm is used as a guide to feed the rope onto the reel.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,232,555 discloses a type of reel using a motor for powering the reel. The reel is secured to the boat and the tow rope extends from the reel through the transom of the boat to its use position. The rope includes a knot which limits the movement of the rope out of the boat, and accordingly no direct strain is placed on the reel when the tow rope is in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,494,570 discloses another type of water ski tow rope apparatus utilizing a reel secured to the boat and a connection at the boat and on the rope for transferring the towing force from the rope to the boat.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,498,563 discloses another type of reel system utilizing an arm in a manner somewhat similar to the arm employed in the '547 patent discussed above. The reel in the '563 patent is secured to the stern of a boat, and a harness or bridle system is secured to the tow rope for transferring forces in a symmetrical manner to the boat and away from the reel.
A winding reel for a water ski tow rope, with the reel again secured to the boat, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,638,876. Part of the reel is rotatable in the '876 patent, and is spring biased to a center position.
It will be noted that the reel apparatus of each of the above discussed patents are secured to a boat, and are accordingly in a fixed position. While some of the reels may pivot, or otherwise move, nevertheless they are secured substantially permanently to a boat. The apparatus of the present invention is not fixed to a boat. The apparatus is portable in that it may be disposed at any convenient location in the boat for storage purposes. Moreover, the reel is not secured to the boat, but is "free" and is disposed out of the boat while the tow rope is in use. When the tension strain is taken off of the tow rope, both the rope and the reel apparatus fall to the surface of the water and remain there. The reel apparatus is floatable and accordingly will not sink. By using the reel apparatus of the present invention, the rope may be secured directly to the boat without requiring any additional apparatus, such as a bridle or harness adaptation, or a collar on the rope, or a knot on the rope, as illustrated in some of the patents discussed above.